Lawn sprinkler



K. J. KNUTH LAWN SPRINKLER Aug. 11, 1936.

Filed March 6, 1934 l N V E N TOR KAW/VUTH (Ittoniws Patented Aug. 11, 1936 I PATENT OFFICE LAWN SPRINKLER Karl J. Knuth, Olmstead Falls, Ohio Application March 6,

'7 Claims.

Thisinvention relates to lawn sprinklers of that type wherein the sprinkler head is positioned be low or on. a level with the surface of the ground and having a riser nozzle which is projected upwardlyby the pressure of the water in the feed line and lowers by gravity upon release of pressure.

In general, the object of the invention is to provide a sprinkler assembly of the type above noted Whichis self-flushing and capable of long life without requiring constant attention, is made up of parts to which access may be readily obtained at any time desired and which may be made at a relatively low cost in comparison with the high quality type of sprinkler produced by the assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sprinkler assembly for underground systems which is readily adaptable for spraying in any desired direction to restrict the spray areas by a .simple interchange of sprinkler or spray heads I while maintaining the same desirable uniform spray.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sprinkler assembly of the type specified embodying a sprinkler or spray head assembly which is anchored and supported in amanner such as to withstand the impact of heavy ground-surface traflic without damage thereto.

Another object of the invention is toprovlde a sprinkler of the underground or ground level type embodying a spray or sprinkler head assembly which effectively seals the system against entrance of harmful dirt and dust particles thereinto, and which at the same time operates smoothly and effectively when the water pressure is turned on, the sprinkler head assembly when in idle position presenting asmooth, unbroken and unobstructive surface.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will become apparent in view of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawing, wherein:

, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a sprinkler assembly constructed in accordance with the features of the present invention, showing the riser nozzle and sprinkler head in operating position;

Fig. 2 is a substantially central vertical sectional view of the assembly showing the said nozzle and head in idle position;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken, respectively, on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail view in vertical section of the sprinkler head;

1934, Serial No. 714,298

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but takenthrough a replacement type of sprinkler head.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 5 designates 5 a water supply main or pipe having a branch nipple 6 therein. The sprinkler assembly proper comprises a stand pipe I which is of such diameter as to provide a pressure accumulating or flushing chamber Ia, an anchoring and spray head hous- 10 ing 8, and a riser nozzle and spray head assembly consisting of a nozzle body or pipe 9, a sprinkler or spray head ID and a bottom screen plug II. The stand pipe I is exteriorly threaded at its lower extremity for application to' the nipple B, and at its upper extremity said pipe is interiorly threaded to receive the lower or exteriorly threaded shank portion 8a of the housing 8, a sealing gasket or ring I2 being interposed between the said shank portion and upper end of the stand pipe.

The nozzle body 9 is in the form of a pipe of reduced diameter with respect to the pipe I and has threaded into the lower extremity thereof the plug I I,.the latter being provided at its lower end with a screen I3 and at its upper end with an inlet port I4. The nozzle body or pipe 9 has a relatively snug yet easysliding fit in an opening or bore I5 formed in the housing 8. Around the lower end of the nozzle body 9, a sealing member or gasket I6 is inserted, which may be'in the form of a, rubber washer or the like, said gasket being forced againstv the shank 8a of the head 8 when the riser nozzle is in its operative position and forming an effective seal at that point which tightens as the pressure increases. When the water forces the riser to its projected position, the nozzle pipe 9 in effect becomes loaded, and when the water is turned off, the restricted orifice or port I4 retards unloading or outflow of vWater from the pipe 9 and the added weight of the water ensures dropping and seating of the nozzle assembly.

The removable plug I I having the reduced port I4 has a very important advantage in that the size of said port may be gauged'so as to keep the peak discharge in a line .of sprinklers within a predetermined limit, or within the limit prescribed for private consumption as compared w1th industrial consumption. Thus this port I4 is in effect an equalizing port.

The spray head ID has a lower threaded nipple portion Illa which is threaded into the nozzle pipe .9,.and above this threaded portion a chambered annular enlargement Itb is formed which provides a spray head and also serves as a guide bearing. Projecting upwardly from the center of the portion I b is an outwardly flaring spraydeflecting surface IIJc. A plurality of holes or perforations I! are formed in the top wall of the chambered portion I01) and extend therethrough into the chamber I8 defined by the portion I02) and nipple Illa, the chamber I8 communicating with the passage defined by the nozzle body or pipe 9. It will. thus be seen that the water being forced upwardly through the pipe 9 and into the chamber I8 will be forced out through perforations I'I against the deflecting surface I00, resulting in a fine even distribution of the spray.

The sprinkler head I0 terminates at its upper extremity in an annular centering portion and an outwardly beveled or flared sealing flange ltd which seats in a mating recess or annular cavity formed in the top of the anchor head 8. Thus the spray holes I! are effectively shielded from dust and dirt particles Without requiring any hinged or movable cover structure, and this type of spray head also seals the assembly against the entrance of dust and dirt particles into the passage I5 of suchside as would obstruct free movement of the parts and which may not be readily forced out by the pressure of the water in chamber la. This not only ensures free and unobstructed movement of the parts but also prevents clogging of the assembly. The beveled sealing flange IOd is preferably formed with an air inlet slot or port I8 to permit air to pass into the bore I5 and thence down to the pipe 9 and facilitate drainage of water back into the feed line 5 as well as to facilitate drainage from said line. This port may be of such reduced size as to permit only a negligible amount of foreign matter to pass therethrough.

In certain instances, it is desirable to have the spray confined to a certain area on one side of the installation or it may be necessary or desirable to lay the supply line 5 at the edge or along the side of a certain plot and then spray laterally over the plot. To accommodate such installations and economize in the use of water, the type of spray head shown in section in Fig. 7 is provided, the only difference being that the spray holes I! are located on one side only of the diameter of the head or are grouped in a certain area. A keyway I9 is formed in the pipe 9 and a key or spline member is inserted in the shank 8a of the anchor head 8 into said keyway to hold the nozzle assembly against rotation. It will be obvious that instead of restricting the spray holes H to a certain area, they could be plugged or closed and effect the sameresult. 7

The assembly operates as follows: When the water is turned on in the feed line 5, the pressure generated in the chamber Ia forces the interior nozzle assembly upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1, the water passing through the screen I3 through the port I4 and into the pipe 9 and chamber I8 from whence it passes through the perforations I'I outwardly against the deflecting surface I00, the latter directing a very fine evenly divided and well diffused spray outwardly over the adjacent ground surface. When the pressure is relieved from the feed line 5, the interior nozzle assembly lowers by gravity and the beveled sealing flange IOd drops into the recess therefor formed in the housing 8, lying flush in said recess and presenting a smooth and unbroken surface at the top of the housing 8.

The diameter of the nozzle pipe 9 and the sealing washer I6 is gauged so as to give the chamber la suflicient flushing pressure when the water is turned on to drive out any grit or dust particles fine enough to pass into the assembly, this pressure being exerted just before and while the nozzle is rising. As soon as the nozzle reaches its upper limit, gasket I6 seals and all the water passes out through the spray holes I'I, Thus the chamber Ia may be considered in the nature of a flushing chamber.

The parts of the assembly may be easily manufactured and assembled and are rugged and durable so that long life results. It will be noted that when the housing 8 is removed, it carries the entire nozzle assembly therewith, and this type of housing is not susceptible to damage due to contact with the wheels of lawn mowers or like travel over the ground surface, which is often the case where the parts of the sprinkler head are more or less delicately constructed. The tapered or wedge-shaped contour of the housing 8 assists in holding the assembly against 20 displacement, the ground becoming lodged or wedged around the housing and anchoring the latter, and when the assembly is removed, there is less chance of dirt falling into the stand pipe 7 due to the clearance provided by the said housing.

Another advantage is that the nozzle unit is supported in its entirety by the housing 8, and when it is desired to remove the assembly it is only necessary to unscrew the housing and remove the same from the ground, the wedge shaped coutour of the housing maintaining a clearance space or hole above the opening in the pipe 1 ready to receive the said housing when the unit is replaced.

In certain instances, it is desirable to increase the height of the housing 8 and the unit carried therewith with respect to the ground level. An example of this is when the sprinkling system is installed in a freshly planted lawn, at which time the ground is bare and there is no grass around the top of the housing, so that dirt and dust is liable to blow over the top of the unit and tend to clog the same. I have found it of advantage in such instances to insert a collar or ring which is in effect a shim between the housing and the stand pipe I at the point where the ring I2 is applied, thereby raising the housing slightly above the surface of the ground. After the grass reaches a suitable height, the shim may be removed and the housing adjusted to the desired level. It will be noted that the threaded shank portion 8a is of suflicient length to accommodate practically any reasonable adjustment it would be desired to make.

It will be obvious that certain minor changes and modifications in structure may be adopted within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an underground sprinkling system, a riser nozzle assembly comprising a stand pipe, a supporting and guiding member connected to the upper end of said pipe, and a riser nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle pip-e having a slide ing fit in said supporting member and a spray head connected to said nozzle pipe and, formed with a chambered portion having a plurality of spray holes formed in the top wall thereof and communicating with the interior of the nozzle pipe and an outwardly flaring portion above said spray holes for deflecting the water outwardly around said assembly, said outwardly flaring portion merging into a substantially straight spray head centering portion which terminates in a beveled sealing flange which seats in said supporting and guiding member.

2. In an underground sprinkling system, a supply line, a stand pipe connected into said line, a housing having an elongated bore formed therein connected to the upper end of the stand pipe and adapted to seat in the ground with its top surface at or near the ground level, and a hydraulic riser nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle pipe of a diameter such as will provide a sliding fit in said bore, a nozzle in the upper end of the nozzle pipe having a chambered portion with spray holes formed in the top wall thereof and a spray-deflecting head above said wall provided with an outwardly flaring top portion which when the said assembly drops to a retracted position contacts the surrounding housing and arrests downward movement of the nozzle assembly and simultaneously seals the said bore against entrance of foreign matter, the lower end of the nozzle pipe being provided with a water-inlet opening which is restricted in diameter to serve as a pressure-equalizing means for a series of units when the system is turned on and to temporarily trap water in the nozzle pipe when the system is turned ofi and accelerate or insure the gravitational lowering action of the nozzle assembly.

3. In an underground sprinkling system, a supply line, a stand pipe connected into said line, a housing having an elongated bore formed therein connected to the upper end of the stand pipe, said housing having an abutment shoulder at its lower end and a substantially flat top surface with a tapered seat therein around said bore, and a hydraulic riser nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle pipe of a diameter such as will provide a sliding fit in said bore and a clearance space between the nozzle pipe and stand pipe, a nozzle in the upper end of the nozzle pipe having a spray-deflecting stem portion and a top outwardly-flaring portion adapted to engage in said housing seat and seal the assembly and also arrest downward movement of the latter when in a retracted position, the lower end of the nozzle pipe being provided with a removable plug carrying a resilient sealing gasket adapted to engage said abutment shoulder when the nozzle reaches its extended position and having a waterinlet opening therein which is restricted in diameter to serve as a pressure-equalizing means for a series of units when the system is turned on and to temporarily trap water in the nozzle pipe when the system is turned off and accelerate and insure the gravitational lowering action of the assembly.

4. In an underground sprinkling system, a supply line, a stand pipe connected into said line, an elongated outwardly flaring housing threaded into the upper end of the stand pipe and having a substantially flat top surface adapted to lie substantially flush with the ground surface, said housing being formed with an elongated bore terminating at its upper end in a beveled seat, the lower end of the housing projecting into the stand pipe and serving as an abutment shoulder, and a nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle pipe of a diameter such as will provide a sliding fit in said bore and a clearance space between the nozzle pipe and stand pipe, a nozzle detachably secured in the upper end of the nozzle pipe, said nozzle having a chamber in communication with the nozzle pipe, the said chamber being bridged by a top wall which is formed with a plurality of spray holes and a deflecting stem projecting upwardly therefrom and terminating in a head portion adapted to engage in said bore and an out- Wardly flared sealing portion adapted to engage in said seat when the nozzle is in retracted position, a removable plug mounted in the lower end of the nozzle pipe and carrying a resilient sealing washer adapted to engage said abutment shoulder when the nozzle assembly moves to its extended position, said plug being formed with a screened inlet opening which is restricted in diameter to serve as a pressure-equalizing means for a series of units when the system is turned on and to temporarily trap water in the nozzle pipe when the system is turned ofl and accelerate and insure the gravitational lowering action of the assembly.

5. In an underground sprinkling system, a supply line, a stand pipe connected into said line and terminating a substantial distance below the ground level, an elongated outwardly flaring housing threaded into the upper end of the stand pipe, said housing being formed with an elongated bore terminating at its upper end in a beveled seat, the lower extremity of the housing terminating in a threaded shank portion which is removably threaded into the upper extremity of the stand pipe, and a nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle pipe of a diameter such as will provide a sliding fit in said bore and a clearance space between the nozzle pipe and stand pipe, a nozzle detachably secured in the upper end of said nozzle pipe and having an outwardly flaring top portion adapted to rest in said seat when the nozzle unit is in retracted position so that the nozzle unit is suspended direct from the housing and is removable from the stand pipe with the latter, the tapered outwardly flaring contour of the elongated housing providing a clearancespace in the ground above the stand pipe when the unit is removed to thereby prevent dirt and other foreign matter from falling down into the stand pipe.

6. In an underground sprinkling system, a supply line, a stand pipe connected into said line and terminating a substantial distance below the ground level, an elongated outwardly flaring housing threaded into the upper end of the stand pipe, said housing being formed with an elongated bore terminating at its upper end in a beveled seat, the lower end of the housing being provided with an elongated threaded shank portion which is adjustably threaded into the upper end of the stand pipe thereby providing an adjustable joint between the housing and said upper end of the stand pipe whereby the housing may be adjusted at varying heights with respect to the ground level, and a nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle pipe of a diameter such as will provide a sliding fit in said bore and a clearance space between the nozzle pipe and stand pipe a nozzle detachably secured in the upper end of the nozzle pipe and having a head formed with an outwardly flaring portion adapted to engage in said seat when the nozzle is in a retracted position, the lower extremity of the nozzle pipe being provided with a removable plug having a sealing gasket adapted to abut against the lower end of the shank portion of the housing when the nozzle is in extended position.

7. In an underground sprinkling system, a supply line, and a spray nozzle assembly connected to said line; said assembly comprising a stand pipe, an elongated flaring housing connected to the upper end of said stand pipe and havinga longitudinal bore formed therein terminating in a nozzle seat at its upper end, and a riser nozzle assembly consisting of a nozzle pipe having a sliding fit in said bore and a spray head detachably connected to said nozzle pipe, said spray head being formed as an integral unit and having an annular chambered portion communicating with the nozzle pipe and a top Wall bridging said portion and having a stem projecting upwardly therefrom and flaring outwardly to provide a deflecting surface, the said top wall being perforated adjacent said stem to provide a plurality of spray holes and said spray head terminating in a beveled sealing flange which has a flush fit in the recess formed at the upper end of the housing bore.

KARL J. KNUTH. 

